Various types of firearm locks are known in the patent literature. The following U.S. Patents are believed to represent the current state of the art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,992,076; 5,488,794; 5,465,519; 5,450,685; 5,419,069; 5,410,832; 5,361,526; 5,357,704; 5,331,759; 5,241,769; 5,239,767; 5,231,236; 5,115,589; 5,062,233; 5,044,105; 4,965,952; 4,835,894; 4,761,906; 4,709,496; 4,672,762; 4,654,992; 4,619,062; 4,532,729; 4,576,021; 4,528,765; 4,461,108; 4,398,366; 4,276,707; 4,266,356; 3,774,333; 3,605,311; 3,504,818; 3,378,943; 3,137,957; 3,089,272; 2,997,802; 2,763,081; 2,327,334; 1,728,902; 1,572,122.
Published PCT Patent Applications: WO 92/15835; 92/13249; 92/10714; 92/06345; 88/09475; 88/06264; 86/00396; and 82/02941.
UK Published Patent Applications: 2,238,604; 2,234,047; 2,215,822; and 2,220,253.
German Offenlegungsschriften DE 4119617; DE 3323501; DE 2920679; and DE 2908066.
German Patent 602163; European Published Patent Application 0163912, and applicant/assignee's PCT Patent Application PCT/US96/03446.
Applicant/assignee's PCT Patent Applications PCT/US96/03446 and PCT/IL98/00228, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.